Wullaert Applies for AR in Dog Slaying Case

Alex Wullaert, the Branford man accused of , will apply to undergo accelerated rehabilitation, a special probationary measure, in lieu of a criminal plea.

 In front of a judge at the New Haven Superior Court Tuesday morning, Wullaert agreed to apply for rehabilitation and return to court June 26. Protestors from Justice for Desmond, the anti-animal cruelty group who previously protested and , audibly sighed in the courtroom when Wullaert's lawyer Richard Silverstein requested rehabilitation. Silverstein refused to speak to the press.

Wullaert arrived at the courthouse at 9:30 a.m. with Silverstein and an unidentified man. Protestor Christina Blamire says Wullaert leaned in and made a kissing face at her pit bull, Hollywood, as he walked up the steps. "Don't kiss my dog," she yelled at him as he passed.

Protestors had been hoping for criminal actions against Wullaert.

"I think it's disgusting," said head organizer Micah Rapini. "I really hope they don't grant that to him. This is not the first violent act he's committed. Maybe all the other charges were dropped. But I wish they could take that into account, that he's committed violent crimes before."

Keep checking Branford Patch for more updates to this continuing story.